[requested by: TzuyuLovesGucci  bcs the movie "THE FAULT IS NOT YOURS" made me feel all kinds of emotions. tis'll be long, mian. AND SUICIDE IS MENTIONED, SO READER'S DISCRETION IS ADVICED.]

[listening to Someday, You and I, Dreamlike, and Really Like You on loop when i wrote and typed this down :)]

[under these stars, everything's alright]

Kang Hyewon was not the fastest runner, nor was she the most athletic among her groups of friends. 

She'd be a lost cause in almost all of the activities their school held. She couldn't even count the many times she came last in getting picked in their daily activities. 

She was pathetic, and she knew it. Although that sounded depressing, through years and years of being cradled by neglecting, viscious, uncaring parents, she learned to just go with it, go with the flow, don't mind the consequences of neglecting the ability to feel emotions, and that would be enough to last her through any wretched day. 

Nothing seemed to matter as years flew by. Nothing changed. Life was at its dullest.

She was just as slow, just as pathetic, not even a tad close to being athletic.

"Oi, you brat!" Her father called out from another room, presumably the kitchen. Hyewon sighed and laid her laptop on the lone pillow on her bed. "Get me some soju! I ran out yesterday and your whimp of a mother can't get up to go out... fucking slut can't even feed her husband."

It was like any other night, running errands for her parents, and her wallet running empty. Exhausted and weary, her feet led her to the nearest convenience store. 

And by nearest, that meant walking a mile without any vehicle or transport from her home to the convenience store. 

However, that night when she decided to head out in her winter wear...

Suffice it to say, she didn't expect to come running and sprinting out of the convenience store with a bag of chips in hand as her eyes caught sight of a shadowy figure behind the glass window of a classroom Kang Hyewon knew all too well.

Run fast.

Hyewon gathered up all her strength to put all the force left in her legs.

Run faster.

This was the fastest she could go, and she was already feeling the burn in her thighs.

Hurry and save her.

Before she knew it, her legs were burning as she sprinted up the stairs, panting and dishevelled as all hell the moment she reached the top floor. 

Kim Minju's homeroom.

"I wanna die."

No, don't. Don't, Kim Minju. Please.

Hyewon ignored the abnormal beating of her heart. The burn in her whole body. 

Don't you fucking dare jump. Please.

The sweat running down her forehead. The ache in her back and her limp arms as she made haste to slam the door open.

Please be there.

It took another second before the horrifying sound of a car going off and the loudest shattering of glass Hyewon has ever heard in her entire existence to let the world know that she failed to save another student. 

It was all too late.

And it was all her fault.

"Pardon me," A nurse bent slightly to level her eyes with a downcasted brunette, to which the latter looked up at, "are you a close friend or relative of Miss Kim Minju?"

Though it was deemed Kang Hyewon would never put herself on a spot wherein she'd be accused of some suicide attempt, here she was, in the ER's waiting room, only inhaling the smell of antiseptic, rubber, and anything that had to do with medical stuff she didn't have the teeniest, tiniest idea about. 

Who really was she to Kim Minju? 

Passing her classroom from time to time during lunch break was also considered as an acquaintance, wasn't it? No, that won't do. They won't let me do anything unless I'm a friend or something. 

Her heart somehow still pulsed violently all over her body, but thankfully she still managed to utter out a lie, "I'm a close friend," She didn't like wasting chances, so she asked in a haste, "how is she?"

"She's still unconscious, Miss...?"

"Kang Hyewon."

"Miss Kang Hyewon, Minju-ssi is currently under surgery, since her fall was..." The lady peered into her clipboard, "from the fifteenth floor of the school building, it's clear she had some ribs broken, and that could lead to some serious, dangerous internal bleeding if not treat immediately. Her head bled a lot from the fall, as well. So, she might not recall a lot of things that happened, unless, well..."

Hyewon blinked, and before she could stop herself from doing or saying anything that would make things worse, the nurse continued, trembling a little from the blank, almost threatening look on the brunette's face. 

"U-Unless something traumatic occurred in the past and before this suicide attempt, Miss Kim Minju will surely have that deeply engraved in her mind. We further speculated the examinations we ran on her brain, and the doctors confirmed there must have been an something that caused the attempt."

Maybe something that must have pushed her to the edge, right.

Or someone.

But that couldn't be. It couldn't be someone because when she arrived, no one entered nor exited the classroom Minju was in.

Could it?

She wouldn't know for sure. She was as clueless as the people that surrounded the wrecked car and an unconscious Minju.

She wouldn't know for sure, so she had no other choice but to wait.

"Miss Kang, Kim Minju-ssi is awake."

Hyewon rushed into the room where the nurse pointed her pen to, and had not a single thought that could lead to serious consequences crossed her mind before she dashed through the double doors of the hospital ward Minju was confined in.

The younger on the bed was still, unmoving, and almost looking lifeless and it hurt seeing her in that state.

Hyewon's heart rate decreased little by little back to its normal beat as she took baby steps towards Minju, who had her eyes open and her lips chapped from the cold wafting through the ward.

Despite feeling a presence nearby, Minju dared not to turn her head or spare this someone a glance. Plus, it wasn't like she'd be able to in her situation. 

"You're awake," Hyewon said, sitting down on a stool beside her bed and trying her best to avoid the tubes connected to Minju's slightly bruised forearms. 

"Who are you?" Croaked the younger brunette.

"We once talked during the school festival," But I doubt you'd remember, "And we became friends."

Minju inhaled, only to flinch when she felt her insides aching like absolute hell.

"Hey, hey, don't do anythin' rash, you're still not capable to do anything physical," Minju eyed her from the corner of her beautiful, tired eyes. Was it weird that just by a simple glance, Hyewon knew what she was meaning to ask? "Oh, uh... don't you remember anything before ending up here?"

Crap. I shouldn't have asked. Minju immediately shifted, twisted and turned, which caused her to flinch and let out a scream once again from the immense pain. "G-Get me out of here, whoever y-you a-are..!"

Hyewon only stared, unable to reply or even call the nurse or doctors to calm her down as Minju continued to thrash on the bed.

"That- That guy!" Minju cried, "He touched me.. Pinned me down.. and-"

Hyewon stood up alarmingly, "What's his name?"

She'd know. This bastard raped her, for sure. That's something that would damage her. She'd know. 

"Sungtae w-was..." Minju's lips pressed into a straight line, feeling the tears trickling down her face again, "Sungtae was his first name, I-I don't know his last name."

He's going to fucking pay.

With this name mentally written down, Hyewon calmly asked, "Do you remember his appearance?" 

"A-about two feet taller than me, I think... and also, uhm, a bit chubby."

I'm going to kill this motherfucker, or so help me.

Hyewon turned her back on Minju and let all the anger seep down into the depths of her mind for now. 

For now, she needed Kim Minju to trust her.

And that she'd do.

"You don't have to recall everything. It's okay," Hyewon said and turned around, only to see her frowning and still crying. Her blanket was soaked with tears. "Can you move your arms out the way, though, can you do that for me?" 

Minju stopped shaking for a moment, taking in all the things Hyewon asked of her, or it may have been how gentle her voice sounded. How it was so soft and comforting, completely different from her somewhat threatening tone when she asked about this Sungtae guy.

With just the thought, she started shaking in fear again. No, no, no, not again.

Hyewon saw this and gave her a sympathetic look before sitting beside her again. "It's okay, I'll help you, okay? Don't be afraid, I won't hurt ya," She reassured Minju with the most gentle and quietest voice she could do, "let me take care of you for now," She reached her hand out for Minju to hold onto.

I'll do my best to make it better.

The hesitation was there, the fear and the aftermath of trauma in her eyes, however Hyewon didn't dare let her determined gaze fall in that moment.

"Tell me where it hurts later," She spoke up once again, "Don't try to remember what happened. What matters right now is this moment. With me. You can trust me."

Minju held her hand, finally. Her cold hand wrapped around Hyewon's warm, soft hands felt so comforting, like the gaze on her. So fuzzy, so warm, beyond amazing.

"You and I?"

Hyewon shrugged and flashed a quick smile, "If you'd allow me."

Minju, still on the bed, smiled as well, smiled back at Hyewon with a quiet beating heart in her chest. Though it hurt quite it bit, the feeling of security was there. That was enough. 

Hyewon would take that look as a yes, then.

Escorting Minju in her wheelchair to her house's balcony like this every evening became a normal daily routine, especially now, when Minju came to terms with her thoughts and finally trusted Hyewon with her whole being. 

Trusted her to take care of her, this time not on a bed, but a very sturdy wheelchair the hospital offered free of charge. So far, Hyewon had been nothing but open and caring to Minju. 

Just as Hyewon promised, she'd taken better care of her.

The evenings were not as cold anymore, not like the sleepless nights they separately had through the years. When it was late enough for people to turn off their lights, the sky was clear enough to see the stars. 

This was when the two girls come outside and just chat about anything and everything. The topics varied from what they did today to what their plans were for tomorrow.

These moments were theirs, and theirs alone.

Tonight as well. Probably half an hour since they came out to enjoy the pleasant breeze and chat under the star filled sky.

Minju was animatedly talking about her workout today at the gym. A gym for the physically disabled people. She was chattering nonstop since the day Hyewon brought up the idea of hanging out in their apartment's balcony. 

Hyewon listened, of course. Even though she was also there during her daily workout, she listened closely to every word Minju had to say. Listened and watched with a warm smile on her face. 

Even she herself wasn't aware with how much fondness she watched her dear friend slash patient. And it wasn't just when she was rambling either, she would just end up staring at her like that sometimes, admiring. Unable to avert her gaze from Kim Minju.

However, Hyewon couldn't promise to sugarcoat everything, especially her caged thoughts. Like any other patient that went through tons of shit, Hyewon knew better than to ignore the feeling of Minju trembling beside her on their bed, which, thank god, was slowly becoming rare as years pass by.

The trauma was still there, that's to be expected. And there was no cure better than time.

So Hyewon waited. She would wait ten thousand hours, ten thousand more if that was what it would take for Minju to let go of the horrible memory deep in her mind. That would be enough.

Hyewon could be enough.

"And thank you again for letting me go on the treadmill today, Hyewon-ah," Minju said almost out of breath and bowed her head gratefully. That was probably one of the habits that never changed about her, "you wouldn't allow me when that could make me walk normally and easier again with more practice!"

I wouldn't want you to get hurt again, you dork.

Hyewon just quietly laughed and shook her head. She didn't deserve that much praise , really, but she was still glad she could make Minju smile for this day. Seeing her smile, she swore, that simply could light up a dim, lifeless room with unenergetic trainers.

"Yeah, just don't push yourself too hard," Hyewon responded, clearing her throat and quickly erasing the embarrassing thoughts.

"I just want to walk properly again, y'know? If I keep it up like this, I could walk again. Walk with you, maybe," Minju looked over her shoulder and met Hyewon's eyes and slightly pinkish cheeks, "Summer vacation's around the corner. How is your studying for the exams going?"

Hyewon bursted into a nervous laughter, "Err, yeah, don't worry about it," she kept on repeating with a sheepish smile. 

Minju felt some sort of pride for catching her off guard like that. It was exactly something she expected her airheaded caretaker to say. It was cute.

Oi, that's actually pretty gay, Kim. 

Minju felt her cheeks grow warm. To avoid getting caught even with a clueless Hyewon behind her, she came up with an idea. "Ah, I didn't even notice how many stars there are in the sky today..."

The older followed Minju's gaze up. The former's pair eyes widened in awe at the sight as her lips curved into a gentle smile. 

Even though in the past she had seen a sky far more vast than this filled with stars, there was something magical about it. 

"You're right," Hyewon chuckled, "my mother and I went stargazing way back in kindergarten. I brought my first ever camera with me that time. It was great, and with the telescope-"

"Telescope? Jinjja?" The moment she got interrupted by that enthusiastic voice her eyes set onto the other girl and their eyes met. 

Minju's pretty dark brown eyes were glowing more than usual, if that was possible. And by the way she was grinning, Hyewon could tell, Minju must have not seen a telescope in person before.

"Uh, yeah-"

"Hyewon-ah! Do you think you brought that along with you here in our apartment? We could take it to the beach sometimes. The view would be great from there don't you think?- and we could invite our friends, too!"

Blink. Blink.  Of course Hyewon would do it for her- planning it all like this is easier than actually pulling it off, especially with the upcoming exams, the gang would most likely be more busy. Though putting out arguments would probably be a waste right now, this conversation could wait until that dreading day comes to an end. 

A nervous sigh escaped her lips before she spoke, "Mhm, it wouldn't hurt to ask them for a little break. We'll see."

Such response was more than enough. 

By the looks of it, Minju seemed pleased. Even now she must be thinking about it, because her eyes were still sparkling with excitement as she raised her gaze back towards the sky. 

Then again, when did they not shine? 

Hyewon caught herself staring at those beautiful, once hopeless and now hopeful eyes more than she could even admit to herself.

It may have been the lateness of the night that made everything silent. It was fine though, not every moment was supposed to be filled with chatting. 

It was the comforting silence too that brought them closer together, and at such times it was especially when Hyewon lose herself in her thoughts just observing the younger.

She took notice of Minju's movement- just her arm. 

She extended it up towards the sky, and Hyewon smiled to herself. 

You always seem to be reaching out to something.

It was something she noticed a while ago when Minju was finally free from the torture of needles poking in her forearms and discharged from the not-so-very-comfy bed. 

There was always something about her, where once she fell silent into her thoughts, she looks like she wanted to reach out to something, grasp onto it. 

What was it this time, the stars?

Hyewon eyes shifted from the beautiful girl before her, towards the sky. The sky was lit up by hundreds, thousands of shining sparkles, but it could not compare to Minju in any way. 

Her heart skipped a bit thanks to that thought.

Ever since they met the first time, Minju strived to be one of the top students in her class. She told Hyewon she wanted to shine like those famous actors in dramas, especially her favorite actors and actresses.

Always finding ways to be like them, doing her very best. She worked hard to achieve what she was striving for, to shine like the stars above her. 

It was fascinating to Hyewon, the effort she had been putting into all of this, despite the attempt into kill herself, despite the bullying she still got after she got back to school again. She stayed persistent and determined.

Despite all of the bullshit she was getting, still she decided to go full steam ahead. Ahead her competition.

Kang Hyewon absolutely adored her, if she could just say that aloud.

Oh, Kim Minju, if only you were aware of how brightly you're shining already.

And that was the truth. 

If anything, it was in Hyewon's eyes. She had always been shining, since the day she allowed her trust to be all on Hyewon. 

With that bright smile and positive attitude, even on hard days. It was amazing, she was